IMPHAL: The Congress in Manipur has issued a whip to its 24 MLAs to attend the one-day Assembly session on August 10 and vote in support of the no-confidence motion against the BJP-led government for which the party legislators have given a notice to the Speaker.
Konthoujam Govindas, senior MLA and Whip of Congress Legislature Party (CLP), told PTI on Wednesday that a three- line whip has been issued to party MLAs to be present in the House during discussion and voting on August 10.
He said if anyone of the CLP members violates the party whip, he or she would invite disqualification under the anti-defection law.
"All the members are to attend the 11th session of the 11th Manipur Legislative Assembly convening on 10th August, from 11 am till the end of the session and remain in the House during discussion and voting.
"All the members are directed to vote in line with the decision made by the Congress Legislature Party led by Shri O. Ibobi Singh," said the whip issued on the direction of the Manipur Congress president.
Govindas also said that his office will submit a list of party MLAs with their photographs to the Secretary of the Assembly very soon.
Two Congress MLAs, K Meghachandra Singh and Th Lokeshwar Singh, have given a notice for moving a no-confidence motion against the N Biren Singh government for not handing over drug kingpin Lhukhosei Zou's case to CBI.
The matter relates to submission of an affidavit in the Manipur High Court by Thounaojam Brinda, a former Additional Superintendent of Police, Narcotic and Affairs of Border (NAB), alleging that the chief minister had pressured her to release Zhou, a former Chairman of Autonomous District Council (ADC), Chandel district, an accused in a 2018 drug haul case.
In the affidavit, she said after an operation commanded by her, the Manipur police had arrested Zou on June 19 along with seven others and seized 4.5 kg of heroin, 2,80,200 "world is yours" tablets, Rs 57,18,000 cash, Rs 95,000 in scrapped currency notes and several other incriminating articles.
In the 2017 Manipur state assembly election, the Congress had won 28 seats in the 60-member House and emerged as the single largest party.
Party MLA Thounaojam Shyamkumar was later disqualified under the anti-defection law after he joined the BJP.
Later, three Congress MLAs- Kshetrimayum Biren Singh, Yengkhom Surchandra Singh and Sanasam Bira Singh- were disqualified.
The state party unit had issued show-cause notices to two of its MLAs in July end for allegedly cross-voting in favour of the BJP candidate in the recent election to the state's lone Rajya Sabha seat.
The notices were served to Wangkhei MLA Okram Henry Singh and Sagolband lawmaker Rajkumar Imo Singh.
After its failed attempt to dislodge the BJP-led government in the state following the resignation of nine ruling coalition legislators in mid-June, the Congress is trying to corner the government in the drug haul case.
The state Congress has already demanded a CBI probe in the case.